Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 103

The statue of the dancing girl had withstood many strong brushes from the curtain. Then the latter put in double the effort, and the figurine toppled off the mahogany stand and fell to the floor, breaking into three in the process.

Giggles ceasing abruptly, a startled Nandini tried to turn to locate the source of the noise. The grip on her constricted.

She looked at Prithvi exasperatedly. "I'm not getting up. I just want to see what caused that sound."

"It did not involve ghosts or aliens or demons," he answered obstinately. "One of the curtains blew and knocked off an ugly showpiece from an uglier stand. There, you can give up the investigation."

"You're impossible," Nandini accused even as her mind wandered to her conversation with her family in the morning.

"Impossibly awesome, yes," he conceded modestly.

She rolled her eyes, then crossly asked, "Why didn't you tell me you spoke to grandpa today? And how could you describe me as a sadistic and - and malevolent spirit!" she remembered indignantly.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't need to," Prithvi retorted. "And it's interesting you realised I was talking about you. I was wrong. You do have a vague idea about your true nature," he added approvingly.

"I'm not sadistic or malevolent," she protested.

"Says the female who is going to leave tomorrow," he grumbled.

Guilt stabbed through Nandini, but she wasn't surprised by the condemnation. Thoughts of their impending separation had been hovering between them since her careless comment in the shrine.

She rested her head on his shoulder to hide the sheen of tears in her eyes. If he asked her to stay back at this moment, she wouldn't be able to refuse. But she couldn't ask Mrs Bhargava for permission to stay back. The situation was already too fragile.

Feeling anxious, Nandini impetuously raised an unconnected topic. "You're sure you won't get those photographs clicked? Because I was thinking...you should get a few snaps clicked with Uday uncle, Choti maa and Sumer uncle too," she chatted with forced chirpiness. "It would mean so much to them."

"I told you I wouldn't stop you from leaving. I haven't forgotten," Prithvi said wryly.

"I didn't think you would," she mumbled sheepishly. "I just thought it would be nice if you do that for them. And...maybe we could get a photograph clicked of both of us too," she quipped, lifting her head and gazing at him with excitement. She had abruptly remembered one of the last Prithvi-related conversations she had had with Nishi and Vrinda, and the looks on their faces when she'd unwittingly disclosed that she and Prithvi did not have any photographs of - or with - each other.

"I can see the caption already – the prince and the pumpkin," he mulled solemnly. "I don't think we should take the risk."

Aggravated, she started to get up from the chair, but he pulled her back with a grin.

"We don't have any photographs of each other," Nandini burst emotionally. "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds in this day and age?

"Did you feel that way until someone told you it was?" Prithvi asked astutely.

"No – yes," Nandini amended quickly.

Then she caught his astute gaze, and turned to glare at the wooden cabinet opposite them. He gently placed his temple against hers. The simplicity in the action seemed to tell her he was mildly amused by the topic and her annoyance but couldn't understand its relevance. But then he had not had to face the bafflement of friends who couldn't understand how two people in love had not gone out on any formal dates or hoarded cutesy photographs or spent hours talking. On that occasion, she had been too heartbroken to react to their wonder. But now...